Lab Report Peroxidase

Abstract:

Peroxidase is an enzyme that is found in turnips that reacts with hydrogen peroxide. When guaiacol is introduced the reaction turns brown allowing the reaction to be measured through a spectrometer. In this lab the concentration of the enzyme is investigated producing the result that when the concentration is increased so does the rate of the reaction. When boiled in this experiment, the enzymes rate of reaction increases. The rate of reaction in enzymes is dependent on the concentration and temperature.

Introduction: Enzymes are protein macromolecules whose function is to catalyze chemical reactions. In humans enzymes make it possible for reactions in cellular respiration to occur quickly. Enzymes are considered to be highly selective

First was to create a baseline using 0.1mL of guaiacol, 0.2mL and 4.7mL pipetted into a test tube and 1.0mL of turnip extract and 4.0mL of distilled water pipetted into another. These two test tubes were mixed and immediately poured into a cuvette to collect the progression of the reaction. Once 120 seconds of the reaction is collected record the data. Next was the reaction for 2x enzyme concentrate. The steps are the same as the baseline except 2.0 mL of turnip extract was used. The amount of water is adjusted so the same total amount of mixture created for each reaction is the same. For the ½ x enzyme reaction the steps were repeated again from the baseline except for the turnip extract was .5mL and distilled water was adjusted. After all the data was collected and recorded the next investigation was set up. To determine the effect of boiling the enzyme in its reaction rate, similar steps were executed. A new baseline was created using the same measurements and steps as the first baseline. Once that baseline was created its reaction rate was collected and recorded using a spectrometer. For the experimental variable (boiling enzyme) the measurements were the same as the baseline. Before the two test tubes were combined, both test tubed were placed in a beaker on a hot

The baseline produced the slope of 0.0011x and when doubled it produced the slope of the 2x concentration of 0.0022x. When the base line slope of 0.0011x is divided it just about matches the result of the ½ x concentration slope of 0.0005. This shows the whatever the concentration of the enzyme is, it will react as fast as it is concentrated. The second baseline produced the slope of 0.0026x and when compared to the boiled enzyme slope of 0.004x shows that the reaction rate actually increased. This deviates from what is expected, because at that high of a temp it would be expected to not react at all or very slightly. Errors that could have occurred in this experiment are cross contamination. Although steps had been taken to minimize this test tubes were not completely sterilized between different experiments. In regards to the boiling enzyme the enzyme may not have been in the boiling water long enough to produce the results expected. The hypothesis is partially supported, when the enzymes concentration is altered the rate of reaction correlates to the the concentration. The hypothesis however is not supported when discussing how boiling the enzyme effects the rate of reaction. The enzymes rate of reaction actually increases when boiled, contrary to the